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The woman, now 47, reported the attacks to West Midlands Police in 2012, having been inspired to seek justice by appeals made following the Jimmy Savile investigation.

Detectives trawled council records from 1977-78 and eventually managed to identify Davies from an old school yearbook album.

Police computers showed a complaint made against the 63-year-old from 2004 and officers tracked him to an address in Aintree Road, Blackpool, where he was arrested at the end of 2013.

A jury at Worcester Crown Court found him guilty on four counts of indecent assault on Friday and he was jailed for four years.

Det Cons Richard Boulter from the Public Protection Unit, said: “The abuse started with inappropriate touching but escalated to more serious assaults.

“The complainant told us how Davies would often assign her tasks that would isolate her from class mates. That’s when he carried out the assaults.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of historic cases we investigate, victims may only feel ready to talk about abuse they suffered many years after the incidents and, whenever they do feel ready, the police and wider support services are here for them.

“We have Public Protection officers who are specially trained to deal sensitively and compassionately with sex offence victims; they are able to support and guide them every step of the way from initial report to court conclusion.

“And our message to offenders is simple: they cannot rest easily because we could come knocking at any time.”

DC Boulter said Davies also worked as a private tutor for some time during the early 80s, and he urged anyone else who may have been abused by him to come forward.